Siphon-fed drinking trough



C.- E, CARR Jan.l 3f, 1939.

SIPHoN-FED DRINKING TRUGH I Filed Nov. 11, 1935 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 f y y 2,142,556

Charles E. Carr, Columbus, Ohio Application November 11, 1935, Serial No. 49,123

1 Claim.`

This invention relates to improvements in drinking troughs for farm stock and the object of the invention is to provide a drinking trough of low height and great accessibility by which it is rendered particularly suitable for the drinking purposes of small animals or fowls.

It is another outstanding object of the present invention to providea drinking trough having the above characteristics and wherein provision is made for automatically delivering water in predetermined quantities to the drinking trough by siphoning the same from a main tank holding a larger quantity of water.

Another object of the invention resides in providing the trough with a siphoning tube of upright substantially inverted U-shaped formation, wherein one of the legs of the tube is disposed beneath the water level of the main tank and the other leg of the tube communicates Vwith the drinking trough proper, a float valve mechanism being carried in connection with the drinkingV trough to regulate the out-flow of water from the siphoning tube and to keep a substantially constant quantity of water in the drinking trough.

A still further object of the invention rests in providing the siphoning pipe or tube with a valve by which a suction may be produced in the pipe or tube to initiate the flow of water therethrough after which the operation becomes automatic through Siphonic action andthe functioning of the iioat operated valve mechanism.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved Siphon fed drinking trough comprising the present invention; v

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken through the same;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-Ill of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 and disclosing the inlet end of the Siphon tube;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line V-V of Fig` 2 and disclosing the valve in the siphoning tube for initiating the siphonic action of the tube.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my improved drinking trough comprises a hollow, sernicircular sheet metal trough body I, which is open at its top and closed at its ends by means of the Walls 2. The upper edges of the body I are laterally and longitudinally flanged as at 3 and connected with the ends of these flanges are metallic leg members .4.

In order to supply the trough I automatically with the regulated inflow of water, the center of the trough is, in this instance, provided with 5 spaced, vertical, transversely extending walls 5, which are perforated as at 6. A horizontal top plate 1 extends over and between the upper edges of the walls 5 and is secured to the flanges- 3 by means of the fastening elements 8. The walls 5 and the top plate 1 provide within the body I a oat chamber, indicated at B.

The plate 'I is formed with anv opening from which arises a threaded sleeve 9, the latter being held in registration with said opening by means of an internally positioned nut I0. The upper end of the sleeve 9 provides a valve seat for the reception of a valve member II, the depending stem I2 of which projects into the float chamber and is provided with a hook shaped lower end which is engaged with the outer portion of the arm I3 of a float I4, which rises and falls in the chamber Bin response to water level, the said arm I3 being pivotally supported as at I5 in connection with a bracket extension carried by the lower part of the nut I0.

Threadedly carried by the upper part of the sleeve l9 is a separable threaded union or coupling I6 in which is positioned the threaded lower end I'I of a Substantially inverted U-shaped siphoning tube I8, the latter including the spaced parallel vertical legs I9 and 20. In this instance, the leg I9, as shown in Fig. 2, is positioned within a main water receiving tank 2 I, and as shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the leg I9 terminates in a foot 22 in which is positioned a screen 23 for preventing solid matter from passing into: the siphoning tube. The outer leg of the siphoning tube, adjacent to the upper portion thereof, is provided with a tting 24 with which is threadedly connected a valve casing 25, the latter being provided with a rotatable, ported plug 26.

In the operation of the trough, the same is placed immediately adjacent to the main Water containing tank 2|, the trough resting on the ground with the leg I9 of the siphoning tube disposed within the tank 2l in a submerged position. The valve plug 26 is turned to assume an open position and a suitable suction device, not shown, is applied to the outer end of the casing to produce a suction within the leg I9 of the pipe. The suction can also be produced by the mouth and lips of the operator. The apertures 6 in the side walls 5 are disposed adjacent to the float I4. When siphonic ow is to be initiated,

a single operator may simultaneously insert his ngers or hold a stick through the opening 6 to actuate the float valve mechanism manually, bringing the same to a position of closure so that the Valve II Will occupy its seat. The height of the valve 25 is such that when the operator is so holding the float valve mechanism in its position of closure-the lips of the operator may be applied to the outlet of the casing 25 to withdraw air from the siphoning tube and thereby create flow ci Water through the tube from the main storage tank to the drinking tank. When this is initiated, the valve 25 is closed and the oat valve mechanism released to establish normal automatic operation. A siphonic action is thus set up in the tube or pipe I8 causing Water to flow therethrough from the tank 2| and into the trough I, the water first entering the float chamber B, and then passing through the perforations 6 in the Walls 5 thereof and into the drinking compartments of the trough. When the trough lls with Water to the required extent, the float I4 automatically operates to arrest further Water flow into the trough. By the provision of the valve 25, a convenient arrangement is presented by which Water iiow is initiated, avoiding specifically the prior practice of submerging the coil and the trough in the main tank before placing the same in operation.

What is claimed is:

Drinking apparatus for farm stock, comprising in combination, an open topped trough, perforated partition means provided in said trough to form an inlet valve chamber, a plate covering the top of said chamber, an inverted U-shaped tube carried by said plate, valve means disposed at the end of said tube adjacent said plate, float means connected with and operating said valve means in accordance with the changes in the liquid level in; said chamber, said float being positioned adjacent the perforations in said partition means to be operatively available through said perforations, and manually actuated valve means provided in connection with the upper portion `of the branch of said U-tube arising from said plate, said manually actuated valve serving when in open position to establish communication between the` interior of said tube and the atmosphere, said manually actuated valve means being so proximate to said rst valve means that a single operator can lift the said .second valve means by a nger of his hand and simultaneously create suction with his mouth through the first valve means.

CHARLES E. CARR. 

